The Impact of Emerging Munitions Technology on 21st Century Warfare
Abstract
Over the last decade the American public has been exposed to countless media reports of surgical strikes carried out by precision munitions. With each new gun camera clip the public is reminded that America's armed forces possess an unparalleled ability to discriminately strike hostile targets anywhere in the world with virtual impunity. While some herald this as the true fulfillment of the prophecy of airpower, I believe that it has greater ramifications. Far from signaling the ascendancy of airpower, It instead heralds the death knell of 20th century warfare as advanced munitions gain primacy over the platforms that deliver them. This shift to munitions primacy signals the start of a new era in the character and conduct of war as we enter the 21st century. To fully understand the implications of the dawn of this new era of warfare we must trace the evolutionary process that has taken place during the last century. At the turn of the 20th century, military theorists and strategists were primarily challenged with responding to technological innovations that, while impacting directly on the tactical level of warfare, translated into operational and strategic implications. The breech loading rifle, smokeless powder, and magazine fed weapons magnified the historical advantage of the defender. Faced without a technological solution to this new killing power, soldiers responded by abandoning close order formations and dispersing on the battlefield. The net result of the impact of the technological advances in small arms was the victory in a single engagement. The decisive engagement was replaced by the operational campaign as the means necessary to inflict enough losses to defeat an enemy army and gain strategic victory.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 26, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA442784
Entities
People
- Michael P. Marletto
Organizations
- National War College